Wrench



' Aug. 4, 1931. 1 BLALOCK 1,817,060

WRENCH Filed July 23, 1928 INVENTOR JAMES E. BLALOCK ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 4, 1931 UNETED STATES PATENT @QFFECE JAMES E. BLALOCK, OF IPACIFIC PALISADES, CALIFORNIA WRENCH Application filed July 23,

This invention relates to adjustable wrenches, and has for an object the provision of an improved type of adjustable wrench possessed of various meritorious features such 6] as added strength, simplicity of construction and operation, and convenience of adjustment.

A more detailed object is the provision of an adjustable wrench wherein a pair of jaw 10) members are each provided with a shank,

these shanks being telescopically received one within the other. The inner shank is exposed through one or more open sides of the outer shank; and a sleeve serving as a handle, is

. mounted for rotary movement thereupon, this sleeve being provided with means for releasably looking the shanks together with the jaws in adjusted position.

The invention possesses other objects and 20 advantageous features, some of which, with these enumerated, will be set forth in the following description of the inventions particular embodiment which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming a 25 part of the specification.

The form of construction herein disclosed, has in actual use, proven to be Very efiicient, capable of facile and rapid operation, and generally desirable in other respects. For

30 these reasons, the details herein disclosed may Fig. 1.

V Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view, the plane of section being taken upon the line 4l4 of Fig. 1, and the direction of view being indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a slightly enlarged View in eleva- 1928, Serial No. 294,692.

'tion, of the lower end of the wrench showing the spring latch for retaining the locking sleeve in selected position.

F 6 is a horizontal sectional View taken upon the line 66 of Fig. 5, with the direc tion of -View indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, the plane of section being indicated by the line 7 of Fig. 1, and the direction of view by the arrows, but showing the moving parts of the wrench, moved to the opposite extreme of their relative movement from that of Fig. l.

Specifically describing the invention in its present embodiment, I have provided a pair of jaw members 11 and 12, each of which is provided with a pair of opposed gripping faces 13, ll, and 16, 17, respectively. The faces 13 and 16 are opposed to each other are the faces 1 1 and 17 but the faces 13 and 16 are spaced a greater distance to increase the range of adaptability of the wrench.

The jaw members 11 and 12 are provided with shanks 18 and 19 respectively, extending therefrom preferably perpendicular to the planes of the grip 'ii'ng faces. The shank 18 extends slidably through an aperture 21 in the jaw member 12, and is telescopically received within the shank 19. The shank 19 is open upon opposite sides, producing in effect, a pair of spaced legs 22 between which the shank 18 is slidably received.

The inner and outer shanks 18 and 19 respectively, together are circular in cross section as best shown upon Fig. 1, and are provided with segmental teeth 23 and 2% respectively, these teeth being arranged concentrically. In their preferable form, the teeth 23 and 24- ure spaced from each other, leaving channels 26 thercbetwcen: and the channels 26- correspond substantially in width to the length of the teeth.

A sleeve 27 is mounted for rotary movement upon the outer shank 19, being locked against longitudinal movement thereupon by being restricted between a shoulder 28 and a spring washer 29 which is retained in position against the lower end of the sleeve 27 by a nut 31 threaded onto the lower ends of the legs 22 of the shank 19. Inasmuch as the nut 31 is tightened so as to be rigid with the legs22 of the shank 19, it serves as ahead thereupon, preventing displacement of the snaced a distance equal to the maximum ro-,

tation of the sleeve 27, it being understood that thenatural resiliency possessed by the spring washer 29 will permit disengagement of the tongue 34 from one of the sockets 36 when it is desired to turn the sleeve 27 and snap the tongue 34 into the other socket 36 when the sleeve hasbeen rotated to the extent of its movement.

A notch 37 is formed in the upper end of the sleeve 27, and a pin 38, rigid with the outer shank 19, is adapted to engage-the ends of the notch 37 to restrict rotation of the sleeve. j 7

The sleeve 27 is provided upon its inner circumference, with segmental teeth 41 similar to the teeth 23 and 24, and adapted'to be engaged therewith to lock the shanks 18 and 19 against relative motion. The teeth 41 are of such length that they may optionallybe disposed within the channels 26 between the teeth 23 and 24, to permit adjustment of the jaws 11 and 12; or engaged with the teeth 23 and 24 to lock the jaw members in adjusted position, it being understood that this shifting of the sleeve'27 is effected by rotating it to either extreme of its movement as determined by the length of the notch 37.

Means are provided for limiting the separation of the jaws 11 and 12 to prevent inadvertent disassembly thereof when adjusting the jaws to vary the effective distance therebetween. A srin lock 43 is secured b a screw 44 or its equivalent, to the inner shank 18 within a recess 46 formed in the side thereof. The other end 47 of the spring lock 43, is bent upwards and outwards to engage against the top 48 of an aperture 49 formed in the jaw member 12 in position to be brought into register with the recess 46 when the jaw members have been moved to their position of reatest separation. Since the end 47 of the spring lock 43 is inclined upwards and outwards, it will snap into the aperture 49 and engage the top 48 thereof when the shank 18 has been withdrawn from the shank 19 suiiiciently to bring the aperture 49 and recess 46 into register, but will engage the bottom 51 of the aperture 49 when the jaw member 11 is again forced toward the jaw member 12, springing the end 47 inside the shank 19 so that collapsing of the wrench is not restricted thereby.

The outside of the sleeve 27 is roughened as by knurling 52, since it is intended that the sleeve 27 shall be employed as the handle of the wrench.

It is thought that the operation of the wrench of my invention will be obvious from the above description of its operative parts. When it is desired to alter the distance between the jaw faces 13 and 16, or 14 and 17 depending upon the size of the member which it is desiredto grip with the wrench, the sleeve 27 should be turned upon the shank 19 to the position indicated upon Fig. 4. The pin 38 will engage one end of the notch 37 to limit the rotation of the sleeve so that the teeth 41 thereof will be positioned within the channels 26 between the teeth 23 and 24. The rounded tongue 34 will then spring into the associated n-otch36 to resiliently retain the sleeve 27 in this position.

Since the teeth 23 and 24 are not engaged by-i the teeth 41 of the sleeve 27'wl1en in this positlon, the aw member 11 may be adjusted in respect to the ]1W1118111l361 12, to-any desired degree of separation within the limits of the particular size of wrench employedfi lVhen the jaw member 11 has beenpositioned in respect to the jaw member 12 to satisfactorily space the "gripping faces,the sleeve. 27 shouldbe rotated in the reverse direction. It

will be found that the natural resiliency of;

the spring washer 29will permit the rounded. tongue 34 to unseat ltself from the notch 36 and permit such rotation of the sleeve 27.

, This will effect engagement of tl e teeth 41 with the teeth 23 and 24 of the shanks 18 and 19 respectively. As a result, the two shanks will be positively locked together to prevent relative movement thereof, and of the jaw members 11 and 12..

At the end of this reverse rotation of the" sleeve 27, the pin '38 will engage the other end'of the notch 37 to limit rotation of the sleeve, at which time the rounded tongue 34 will snap int-o the other notch 36 to resiliently retain the sleeve 27 in selected position so that i the wrench may now. be employed to accompllsh the desired work, with the jaw members 11 and 12 positively locked against relative movement within'the sleeve, a head on said first mentioned shank, and a spring washer interposedbetween an end of said sleeve and said head to releasablyretain said sleeve in selected position.

2. A wrench comprising a pair of jaw iUU members adjustable with respect to each other to vary the effective. distance therebetween, a shank rigid with each jaw member, the shank of the upper jaw member being non-rotatively telescopically received within the other shank and the outer shank being open along a side to expose the inner shank therethrough, a sleeve mounted for rotary movement only upon one of said shanks with the associated shank extending through the sleeve, and means interposed between the sleeve and the other shank for releasably locking them against relative longitudinal motion.

3. A wrench comprising a pair of j aw members adjustable in respect to each other to vary the effective distance therebetween, a shank rigid with each jaw member, the shank of the upper jaw member being telescopically received within the other shank and the outer shank being open along opposite sides to expose the inner shank therethrough, segmental teeth disposed upon opposite sides of said inner shank and extending through said open sides of the outer shank, similar teeth on said outer shank, the teeth on said shanks being separated to leave channels therebetween, a sleeve mounted for rotary movement upon said outer shank, and complementary segmental teeth on said sleeve adapted to engage the teeth on both shanks or to be disposed Within said channels.

4. A wrench comprising a pair of jaw mem bers adjustable in respect to each other to vary the effective distance therebetween, a shank rigid with each aw member, the shank of the upper jaw member being telescopically received within the other shank and the outer shank being open along opposite sides to ex pose the inner shank therethrough, segmental teeth disposed upon opposite sides of said inner shank and extending through said open sides of the outer shanks, similar teeth on said outer shank, the teeth on said shanks being separated to leave channels therebetween, a sleeve mounted for rotary movement upon said outer shank, complementary segmental teeth on said sleeve adapted to engage the teeth on both shanks or to be disposed within said channels, and resilient means for retaining the sleeve in selected position.

5. A wrench comprising a pair of jaw members adjustable in respect to each other to vary the efi ective distance therebetween, a shank rigid with each jaw member, the shank of the upper jaw member being telescopically received within the other shank and the outer shank being open along opposite sides to expose the inner shank therethrough, segmental teeth disposed upon opposite sides of said in ner shank and extending through said open sides of the outer shank, similar teeth on said outer shank, the teeth on said shanks being separated to leave channels therebetween, said channels substantially correspending in width to the length of said teeth,

asleeve mounted for rotary movement upon said outer shank, and complementary segmental teeth on said sleeve adapted to engage the teeth on both shanks or to be disposed within said channels.

6. A wrench comprising a pair of jaw members adjustable in respect to each other to vary the effective distance therebetween, a shank rigid with each jaw member, the shank of the upper jaw member being telescopically received within the other shank and the outer shank being open along opposite sides to expose the inner shank therethrough, segmental teeth disposed upon opposite sides of said inner shank and extending through said open sides of the outer shank, similar teeth on said outer shank, the teeth on said shanks being separated to leave channels therebetween, a sleeve mounted for rotary movement upon said outer shank, complementary segmental teeth on said sleeve adapted to engage the teeth on both shanks or to be disposed within said channels, resilient means for retaining the sleeve in selected position, and a stop interposed between said shanks to limit the separation of said jaw members.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JAMES E. BLALOOK. 

